Crouchie's as pretty as ever!

CR-OUCH ... Stoke striker after his teeth shock

TONY PULIS insists Peter Crouch’s lack of goals is down to Stoke’s poor service — not the horrific facial injury he suffered at the end of last year.

The ex-England striker has hit the net just once since an aerial challenge with Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini smashed out three of his teeth in November.

Pulis is desperate for his side to fire again after a run of just one win in nine matches.

But he is happy that Crouch, 32, still has his looks intact.

Pulis said: “Crouchie’s OK — he’s had all the stuff done. Things had to be reset in his jaw but now he’s as pretty as ever!

“Crouchie is more set now than he was a month ago and settled down. He has no problems whatsoever.

“I’ve looked at the stats and the videos and you have to give the forwards an opportunity to score goals.

“If there’s one weakness, it is that we have not got any end products — and you cannot blame the forwards for that.

“It’s a little lack of confidence. When we started the season we had a better balance than we have now but we have to turn things around.”

Stoke head to Newcastle tomorrow having won just once in 23 away matches.

But Pulis said: “We won’t do anything different away from home. We’ve played better away from home than in any previous season.

“We’ve been very unfortunate. We have only been poor in three away games — Man City, Fulham first half and Swansea.

“Apart from that, every other game we have been competitive and in the game.

“We used to get beaten six or seven-nil at Arsenal but we lost to a deflected goal a few
minutes from time.”

Pulis has Michael Owen fit again for the clash against his former club.

The Potters boss added: “He’s trained but not played a game, which is a problem. He will be desperate to play.”